Blood's Prophecy
by 3rdbase101
Summary: BloodClan starts believing in StarClan after Scourge's death and they are rewarded with a prophecy to return them to their former status. However, the cat in the prophecy has the odds stacked against her, and she might not complete the prophecy in time.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Warriors. The lucky Erins do.**

Chapter 1

"All cats in this Clan know how it was formed. Now, young kit, it is your turn," A black and white queen murmured to her young dark brown tabby kit. "Long ago, we were living in a lush, green land that had a river, marsh, forest, and moors."

She took a breath then continued. "One tom, Thunder, decided that the forest would be his family's home. He liked the protectiveness of the trees. A she-cat, River, liked to swim, so she chose the area that had the river flowing through it. Another smaller she-cat, Wind, knew that the only way to get her true speed was on the moors. Lastly, Shadow, he liked the way the marsh felt under his paws, so he and his family lived there. But, most Clans forgot the fifth leader, Rain. He, like the others, took his family and some followers and named them RainClan, after him. He also named himself Rainstar."

"Like the Clan leaders today, right Time?" the kit asked.

"Yes. He had territory that combined all the others. His cats knew how to run fast, fish, hunt under cover of trees, and prowl the marsh. They were always well fed, with all the sources of prey. However, after one winter, the other Clans were near starved. They wanted Rainstar to leave, so that they wouldn't starve. He refused. The other Clans snuck into his camp one night, and when Rainstar woke up, he found that his mate, two kits, and a Warrior was killed."

The kit gasped, green eyes round. "Rainstar was distraught. He brought it up with the other Clans at the next Gathering, but they said it was necessary. Rainstar then decided to leave, to find a better place to live. In front of the other Clans, he dropped the –star from his name and became Rain. Rain also changed his Clan name from RainClan to BloodClan, in recognition of the blood lost in his Clan. All the other leaders were shocked when they heard his threat. _Later, it may be much later, but my Clan will be strong. Then, and only then, you will pay for this injustice. You can forget if you want, but my threat will always be there, from the time I tried to live peacefully in this land. _Rain then left, his Clan behind them, tails swishing in fury."

"I would be mad, too." The kit whispered, earning a comforting lick from its mother.

"They found refuge in the city, where conditions were good, and they thrived. In his anger, Rain stopped believing in StarClan. He did well without it, for a while. But then, a cat came to fufill the threat set many years ago. His name was Scourge. He found out that the Clans did one thing they were told, they didn't know anything of BloodClan, their elders knew nothing, either. In addition, he found out that they had kept their 'old' words, such as leafbare and crowfood, and were very primitive. He was defeated by a lucky orange cat. If Rain had believed in StarClan, Scourge would have not been defeated. Our old new leader, Ghost, your father, went to the Clans 'Moonpool' and was welcomed into StarClan's open arms. He also made sure that all cats in BloodClan knew the Clan's moves that defeated Scourge."

Time took another breath, then said, "Since we now believe in StarClan, they have given us a prophecy to help us fufill Rain's promise, and gain back some territory that is rightfully ours. Nobody except Sun the medicine cat knows of it, not even me, Ghost's mate. It is supposedly about a kit who will bring respect to BloodClan's name again." Time looked at the young kit who lay sleeping by her side.

"I know that story well, Time, but I do have to admit that you tell it best. Young, well… what is your kits name?" Sun asked, while entering the hole used as a nursery.

"Panther." Time responded proudly.

Sun's mouth gaped. "Isn't the kit a she-cat?"

"Yes," Time answered, "but I figured it would be a great name for the kit of Ghost, best leader since Rain. Anyway, doesn't she look like one of those big cats? I know that you have been going to the other nursery holes and telling the queens the prophecy. Why haven't you been here first?"

"Time," Sun mewed slowly, "I have not been telling them the prophecy from StarClan, I have been checking their kits names. There is a certain name for the kit of the prophecy."

Time's amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "What is it, then?"

"I will tell you the whole prophecy. _One kit, Blood the fullest, shallreturn what is rightfull to it. The kit has time and ghosts on its side, and will always win. Dawn of a new time shall begin with Panther._ Your kit, Panther, will bring greatness to BloodClan again."

"Thank you Sun," Time replied, "I knew she would be special. BloodClan has always been considered the undercat, but now, no longer. I will make sure that my kit will accomplish this prophecy. She will follow in the noble steps set before her in BloodClan."

"Ghost would've enjoyed the fact that his kit would be in a prophecy. If only—"

Time cut Sun off, "Yes, if only he hadn't been killed by that cheating rouge, Silence. Then all would be peaceful in BloodClan, and there would be no turmoil in who is leader next. My kit will show all of them."

Sun nodded, his amber eyes glinting in the occasional light from a car. "BloodClan has fallen before, and it will rise, stronger than ever to fufill a promise set so long ago."

"Yes. I wish to be alone, Sun. I must think of all Panther will do to make the other Clans regret making us leave our true home. She will get back territory for us that isn't in this plentiful, but reeking _city._ "

Sun nodded respectively, and slouched out the nursery hole and into the outside, where, Sun discovered, was much more free than the hole. _How can the queens _stand_ it? _He thought in disgust, while walking away.

In the nursery, Time chuckled. Sun's scent had given awayu a lot about his moods, as did his facial expressions. Time vowed to teach Panther everything she knew, and intended to introduce her to the eldest and most experienced Warriors. We will teach everything, even the small things, to Panther to make her the best Warrior and leader she can be.

A slight breeze entered the nursery, ruffling Time's fur pleasently. _Do not worry, _it seemed to say, _StarClan is behind Panther and the new BloodClan. You deserve more than you are getting now. _

Time's mouth widened in a broad smile, _Perfect, _she thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I figured that it was time to start this story again. Enjoy, and review!**

A fine, light rain shrouded the city, clinging to pelts and making them heavy. A thick blanket of dark gray clouds covered the bright sun, and provided the rain that was endlessly falling. All buildings, large and small, were unidentifiable to even the keenest eye. To avoid wet fur and the muddy conditions in the many alleys, most BloodClan cats stayed in their warm dens under the ground, in dumpsters, or anywhere that they could find room.

However, one cat trudged through the sticky mud in a small and confined alley, which was made even dimmer by the gray landscape. Sharp yellow eyes watched the tabby cat make barely any progress, stumbling many times, mixing blood with mud.

When they had seen enough, the owner of those eyes turned, and left the cat alone, stuck whimpering in the muck. The cat's legs couldn't free themselves, and they churned deep within the wet dirt, making no advancement but severely tiring the cat out.

"Mother," Panther cried in anxiety. "Mother, Time, save me!" Unfortunately, deep within her clean, pure soul, the kit knew that her mother wasn't coming to save her ever. A band of cats, led by Silence, had raided Time's den late last night, about five hours ago. They had heard of the prophecy that Sun had given and had come to 'annihilate the fulfiller of the prophecy!'

Time, in desperation, had trapped the cats in her den, and shoved her only kit out to run. The raiders outnumbered her by many, but she held her own for a while, letting her kit get farther and farther away from those who wished to kill her. She defended the exit well until Cactus caught her flank unguarded and leapt upon it. As she took her last breaths, and her bright eyes became dim, she heard the attackers rush off, and hoped that Panther had gotten far enough away already.

The unwounded cats chased furiously after their target, sometimes drawing blood by scoring their claws on her flank. Finally, before she collapsed, the kit took a turn and hid underneath a dumpster. The rank scent of human garbage almost chased Panther out, but the thought of Silence and his rogues prowling about outside looking to kill her made her stay hidden underneath.

Finally, after five hours of crouching tensely she deemed it safe enough to come out. The sound of pawsteps had faded, and the scent of excitement and rotting prey that clung to the rogues like burrs had disappeared. What a mistake she had made when she decided to come out. At least underneath the dumpster had been warm and dry.

"I am not Time," a methodical voice mewed soothingly. "However, I can act as your mother figure and teach you in the ways of a BloodClan cat."

Panther tried turning, but failed as her legs were trapped by the mud. The she-cat moved in front of her, looking at the kit with guarded eyes. She was a long-haired cream she-cat, radiating power and grace. A much older, dark gray tom emerged from the elongated shadows in the alley. He seemed ancient compared to the young and boisterous cats that populated BloodClan, with his fur around his muzzle gray, and everything matted.

He looked old, but his eyes were still a sharp yellow, and he was able to hunt and defend himself, thus giving himself a home in BloodClan. She studied him curiously. Soon he would be killed off by the Elites if he didn't provide, so he must be still young, in a way.

"Tear told me that you had been chased by Silence, and you lost both of your parents. Is this true?" the cream she-cat asked, sitting down and placing her tail over her paws carefully.

Panther paused, not really sure if she should reveal her lineage to this cat. Of course, it could be her only chance of survival, as the she-cat might leave her to die if she said nothing. "Yes, it's all true. Ghost, my father, had died awhile ago, killed by Silence's claws," Panther mewed hesitantly, unsure of the details for Ghost died before she was born. "Silence raided Time's den, and now I am alone."

The she-cat's light blue eyes softened and she rose gracefully to her feet. "Thank you, Tear, for informing of Panther. Dawn, Mahogany and I will take good care of her." Tear dipped his head to the young she-cat, and limped off. The shadows soon engulfed his form, although his footsteps echoed around the alley walls for minutes later.

"Who are you?" Panther asked quietly. The she-cat looked the kit dead in the eyes before answering. As Time had taught her before her mother's death, Panther knew that the she-cat was proud and unafraid right now through her expression.

"Cream," she answered curtly. Cream grasped Panther's scruff between her sharp teeth gently and pulled slightly. The mud stuck tightly to her dark brown legs and caused a discomfort to Panther. Finally, after a few minutes of pulling, Cream was able to free the kit. Panther dangled freely from Cream's jaws, and the queen sped through the city easily, knowing every path and shortcut.

Cream moved deftly through the rain, darting and sliding out of the way of humans, cars or other animals, a feat that no Clan cat could have done. Finally, with a sigh, Cream approached a large, abandoned building, unseen seconds before through the fog. She slipped in, and dropped Panther on the hard ground.

A stale scent assaulted Panther, the scent of cats, blood, dust and dirt. Her ears detected the scuffling of small prey animals, breathing and the occasional creak of the old building. When her eyes finally adjusted, she was greeted with a dingy, dirt covered landscape. Some furniture was lying around, and underneath an armoire were two queens and five kits. They gazed wearily at the figures in the entrance, as if tired of attacks, but prepared for it.

"Who is it?" the gray queen hissed, unsheathing her claws and bristling her fur. Panther trembled, afraid that Cream had taken her to the wrong place, and that the queens were going to kill both of them.

Calmly, Cream pushed Panther away and shook out her fur, which was stuck to her sides because of the rain. The long haired strands let go of the moisture they had withheld and the wetness flew, splattering the dust and grime covered furniture and floor adding some darker color to the dreary landscape.

"It's me Cream, Dawn," the she-cat answered. Dawn's eyes became filled with recognition, for the long, light cream fur had been released from its hold. Relaxing, Dawn called over Mahogany and their kits. Two young kits, identical in every way, rushed over to Cream and started playing with her tail.

Mahogany walked over to Panther, her deep ginger pelt reflecting light without any sun. She sniffed the top of Panther's head, and making Panther's small kit ears flatten. "You really found Panther, huh Cream?" she asked, moving away from the well known kit and wrapping her tail around her long tail around her own bright ginger kit. "I really thought Tear was lying to you, as Time would never let her only kit wander about alone."

The sound of her mother's name made Panther flinch and press into Cream's long, comforting fur. "One must be strong as a BloodClan cat," Cream whispered into the kit's ears, pushing her into the middle of the floor. Cream looked into Mahogany's eyes and spoke aloud. "We shall keep Panther and train her as if she was our own." Dawn opened her mouth to say something, but Cream silenced it with a stern look. "We mustn't worry about Time wanting her kit back, for she is dead. I saw her body myself, and it had the scent of Cactus and Silence all over it."

Gasps came from every cat, even the small she-cat playing with the string on top of the chair. "Go play," Dawn mewed gruffly. "We must talk." She pushed Panther towards the gray kit. Solemnly Mahogany let go of her kit, and the twins followed him.

The crawled under a large desk, and when all were there, Mahogany's tom kit confronted her. "Who are you?" he asked, slightly hostile, "and who is your mother?"

"I am Panther, daughter of Ghost, former leader of BloodClan, and Time, an Elite," Panther answered with pride in her lineage. She spoke with rebellion, as if she wouldn't take anything from this cat.

The ginger tom's face fell. "Oh," he mewed. "I'm Rust, the gray kit is Claw, and the twins are Take and Keep." Panther nodded in turn for each of the names, trying to remember them. The twins would be hard, but she could tell them apart if she remembered that take had a small black spot on her nose while Keep didn't.

"What are we doing?" Claw asked, her voice high and squeaky. "They told us to play, and I want to play. It'll also be so much more funner than sitting here talking."

Rust paused, and looked at Claw. He pounced when she least expected it, closely followed by Take and Keep. Panther joined, laughing as they tumbled around the floor. She was enjoying herself greatly, but deep underneath the pleasure, Panther missed the calm, stern mother that now roamed StarClan.

**A/N: How'd I do for the second chapter of my first story on this site? Please review and tell me so. (I said please…) **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Happy June! 22 days left until I get out of school! Then I get more time to update, and more time to play softball. Thank God! Read and review!**

Panther awoke in an abandoned building, the dust particles floating around making her nose tickle. She sneezed twice, blowing more dust into the air. Around her were a cream she-cat, and two identical cream kits. Close by was another queen, this one was dark ginger with her bright ginger kit, and a gray tabby queen with her gray kit. Panther remembered how she got here, and her mother's death, and began to wail quietly.

Take awoke, and looked carefully at the young she-cat. She glanced at her own mother, and then back to Panther, as if acknowledging her motherlessness. "Cream will take good care of you. She, Mahogany, and Dawn act like mothers to us, and they like you. We're supposed to go out and learn to fight today. You're coming, I heard Dawn say."

Fully awake, Panther shook off the long-haired tail, and walked over to the dusty chair in which Rust and Mahogany were sleeping. She was quite surprised, and squeaked when Rust's head popped out. "Hi, Panther," he mewed, jumping down, and shaking his misshapen pelt out. "Coming fighting with us? Mahogany says there are a few stray rogues looking for a place to stay…"

With the thought of fighting rogues, Panther became excited, although she didn't fully understand why. All she did know was that she wanted revenge, revenge for her mother's death and her abandonment. What was lost to her, however, was the love of fighting all BloodClan members had, that ran in her blood.

"Ready to go?" Cream asked, making the kit jump, for the she-cat had awoken and was standing right behind Panther. She laughed quietly, sounding like the wind chimes some humans had on their doors. Mahogany jumped down, and Dawn padded over from under the armoire. "We're going to teach the kits how to fight, Panther, and you're coming with us."

"Really?" the she-cat asked her amber eyes wide. Cream smiled, and nodded. The she-cat taken as the leader nodded to each of the other queens, and all three left the building smoothly, their kits trailing behind.

Not so much later after leaving the cave, Panther met up with the stench of crow-food that had been surrounding an old box near a dumpster. Dawn, and the other queens stopped in front of it, a quick sniff letting them know that what they wanted was still here.

"Oi, Cactus!" A rough voice growled. "Which one of your she-cats is visiting today?" The black tom emerged from the box, and looked over the she-cats waiting. "Pretty ones are here today, huh?" he crooned to them, not paying attention to the kits hiding behind their legs.

Panther felt her hackles rise when the tom said the leader's name. "Cactus," she hissed, remembering the scene within her mother's den. Another tom, this one a tortoiseshell followed out. He smiled heartily at Dawn, and then turned to the black tom.

"Cactus gets one, and he chooses. Whatever's left, Frost gets to choose, and then me, you, and Midnight get to fight over the last." The tom paused. "Do you think that I, you or Midnight will get her?"

Cream hissed quietly, letting the toms know of her presence again. "There will be no fighting over us, for our kits need to know how to fight."

The tortoiseshell tom's eyes widened in fright, and called out to the other toms, who immediately appeared from within the box.

Cream leapt at the black tom named Midnight, and dispatched him quickly with a bite to the throat. Cactus' eyes widened as Cream motioned to the body, and explained how to kill to the kits. Then, with the help from their mothers, the kits took each of the toms.

Panther, left alone, took on Cactus, who was least expecting. The tom hissed, as he took in Panther's demeanor. "It's you!" he yowled. "I already killed your mother, now it's time to kill you!" Panther was thrown to the floor, and watched in horror as Cactus came down upon her.

She squeaked, and raked her claws down his face, opening a cut big enough to take out one of his eyes, and blind the other one through profuse bleeding. Cactus got off of her, and she saw that Frost was pinned to the ground, and Take and Keep were battering his legs with Cream watching.

Panther stalked the cursing Cactus, and leapt upon his injured self. He screeched in pain, and tried to look at his attacker. For the first time, the kit saw the devastating job she did to the tom. Half his face was ripped off, and hung limply off the frame. His one good eye was full of blood, while the other was punctured and the fluid mixed with the blood. The mixture ran off his body in torrents, and went into his light brown and white fur and his black collar.

Panther studied her prey, and was entranced by the leather collar. It seemed as if it was new, and humans had just put it on. Bored with watching her mother's killer tremble, she padded up to him, and placed her strong jaws on his vulnerable throat. Cactus hissed at this contact, and tried to pull away, only helping Panther with ripping his throat out.

As the blood now purred down herself, she looked at the gurgling tom with pride. She had just gotten revenge for her mother. Now, if only she could kill Silence, she would be complete. Finally, the tom went still, and all was quiet, as if the fighting had never happened.

"Well done," Cream purred, rasping her tongue up Panther's blood covered face. She had been watching from a distance, to see if the kit had her father's fighting skills and ready to step in if needed. Fortunately, she didn't need any help, and her own kits were having trouble. Cream glanced around, to see Mahogany praising Rust for killing the tortoiseshell, known as Patch. Dawn was cleaning Claw, and purring in her daughter's win.

"You get to take it," Cream mewed, motioning to the dead body of Cactus. When the kit looked at her with confusion, Cream sighed. "The collar. It is now yours."

Panther walked over to the tom, and yanked until the collar came off. She then slipped it over her own head, and rejoiced that it fit. Cream opened the mouth of the corpse, and pointed with her tail to the teeth inside. The dark brown she-cat moved forward with pride, and with the eyes of all her new family watching her, Panther ripped out one of the fangs. Then, she jabbed it into the leather collar, seeing how well that fit, and making her purr when it made her look fierce.

Claw looked at her with jealousy, than looked at Dusk, and his gray collar. "How come Claw doesn't get a collar and a tooth?" Panther asked Cream, still showing off her stolen fang.

"Because she didn't kill Dusk by herself. Only a cat that kills one by themselves gets a collar, if they have one, of course. It is an honor like none other, and for a kit to have one… why it shows who your true parents were," Cream explained. The she-cat looked once again at the bloody mess that was left, then ushered her family back to their building.

"Two good things came from that," Mahogany mewed, still purring. "The kits now know one way to kill a cat, and are better at fighting. Also, the threat that was posed before is now gone."

Cream nodded, padding towards the building with the intention to clean her two kits and Panther, and to eat. Rust bounced up to the kit, and looked at her with new feelings. "Good job," he mewed. "I want a collar."

Panther laughed at him, and batted his nose with her claws sheathed, afraid that she would tear open his face like she did unintentionally to Cactus. "You'll be an Elite, don't worry," she told him, enjoying the conversation they were having.

The ginger tom snorted. "You'll be one first! You're the daughter of a leader and an Elite, and it'll take me a million summers before I'm an Elite."

"No, silly," Panther mewed as she slipped into the building that was now her home. "A cat doesn't _live_ a million years, let alone take to be an Elite. Five mice you wind up being an Elite before me!"

Mahogany hushed her kits response, and held him tightly between her paws, removing any traces of blood and dirt. Panther scuffled with Take while Dawn was cleaning Claw and Cream was cleaning Keep. Her life now was better than her life with her mother before, Panther observed.

Would her mother have taken her to fight? Of course, Panther told herself. Her mother was the best, even better than Cream! But, if she didn't have her new family, would she have her collar now, and a fang to boot? Probably not, since her mother would have helped like the queens did to their kits.

She had earned her collar, fair and square, and it was a new source of pride, apart from her lineage. Mahogany grabbed her, and cleaned off the grime, as Rust was done. Her tongue rasped itself all over her body, but stopped at the collar. The queen purred her pleasure, making Panther purr too. One stupid rogue dead and all this praise? She should do it more often.

**A/N: Review to ensure the safety of the next chapter coming out soon!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here we go! The next chapter! Enjoy!**

Panther woke up next to Take and Keep. She shook her fur out groggily, and glanced around the grimy building that she was now used to and was calling home. The sun shone faintly in the dirty windows, making streaks of light on the floor dance.

It had been two days since she had killed the rogue, and since then she had learned to hunt. The mice seemed to escape her claws easily, running under piles of garbage in fright. She had only caught one prey, and it was a crippled pigeon. The poor animal had broken its left wing previously, making it an easy kill for the kit. She had begun to feel disheartened as she had only caught one piece of prey, while Rust was beginning to bring in three per day.

Determined to best her foster brother, Panther squirmed carefully out of Cream's long tail. She hadn't waken either the mother or the kits, and made her way slowly to the hole in the building. If she was ever to get better at hunting, she had better start out now.

The darkness of dawn shrouded Panther from watching eyes, for her pelt blended into the darkness well. It was quiet, and the sun was barely over the horizon. Small prey animals scuffled in the alley unafraid, for they knew that no cat hunted at this time.

"This'll be _easy_," Panther hissed, getting into the crouch Dawn had taught her. Just thinking of her foster family made Panther shiver with glee. Her foster moms were the best, except for Time. Dawn was best at hunting, Cream at fighting, and Mahogany the best at tracking. With all of her teachers, she was sure to be a great cat.

She crawled forward, intent on a small mouse nibbling a piece of bread. His fur was illuminated by the rising sun behind him, and he looked on unawares. Her tail tip twitched, brushing against the stack of boxes next to her. It wobbled uncertainly, sending the ones on top falling. With a loud yowl, Panther scrambled away from the trapping boxes, scaring the mouse and every other creature away.

She licked her chest fur twice, trying to quell the rush of embarrassment that came to her. How could she ever be a good hunter? What had she done to make the mouse flee, and the boxes fall?

Panther sprinted forward, trying to catch some prey for Cream to be proud of. A pigeon cooed softly from a rooftop above, calling out to her. She wanted to leap after it, but mice seemed better to catch.

Finally, after a few blocks, the sounds of scuffling prey became prominent again. The sun rose still higher, and it was an hour after dawn. She hadn't much time before the others woke, and she wanted to surprise them with at least _one_ mouse.

She stalked forward, focused on a much larger black mouse. Its whiskers twitched, scenting the air, but scenting nothing. She crept closer, and leapt. The sound of its bones crunching was satisfying, and as she bit into the neck, the blood flowed freely. Panther backed away, and observed her kill. _This_ was something that Cream would be proud of!

"And what do we have here?" A cruel voice asked, emerging from within a hole in the ground. The tom shook his long white fur out and blinked twice, trying to clear out the sleep from his eyes.

Panther's eyes widened in fear and her hackles rose. She had killed once before, but she wasn't sure if she could do it now. Just _being_ with her foster family gave her courage, and the lack of them made her feel as weak as a mouse.

"I have many slaves," the tom meowed. "I do have to admit, however, you'd be the best one. The others wouldn't mind taking care of you, because when you're old enough, they'd be left alone, and you'd be my most used she-cat."

As the kit tried to wrap her mind around the idea, the tom stepped forward and pulled her into the mouth of the hole. "What do you mean?" she squeaked, trying to avoid going down into the hole. It reeked of crowfood, and the scent of many cats, all she-cats, emanated from it.

The white cat laughed. "It's really not that hard, kit. I have a bunch of slaves that I choose. They pleasure me, and give me kits to sell if they're she-cats, or teach if they're toms. I am the leader of a very successful band of cats of toms, because she-cats aren't that much use other than kits and pleasuring anyway."

Panther hissed, and doubled her efforts. If that cat even _thought_ about using her! She scratched the tom down his side, but his long fur stopped his claws short of drawing blood.

"Let me go!" she seethed. "I am Panther, daughter of Time and Ghost, and I demand that you let me go!"

He laughed even harder. "You'll be even better than! Perfect kits we'll have!" Suddenly his laughing mood vanished, and he looked in anger over her head. "What do you want, Cream?" he snarled, dropping Panther.

The dark brown tabby kit scuttled to Cream's side, mewling in terror. "I have parental control over this kit, Blizzard, and you are _not_ allowed to touch her."

The way Cream spoke made Blizzard dip his head. "I was just going to have a little fun…" he muttered. He backed into the hole, and a few soft mews greeted him.

As the threat passed, Cream turned to Panther with anger in her eyes. "Why did you do that?" she hissed, picking the tabby kit up sharply by the scruff. "When I woke up, I found you were gone, and I thought you were killed! Then I go off, following your scent, to see you had wandered off. You do know that Blizzard is one of the worst cats in this city to talk to if you're a she-cat? Down in his hole he has over ten she-cats chained to the walls! What if I hadn't woken up in time, what if I hadn't saved you?"

The tabby kit said nothing, and allowed Cream to continue yelling at her. Her mother figure was right. She _had_ been stupid to go run off like that. She stopped at a street, and placed Panther down. "Just because I saved you doesn't mean that there aren't any consequences. I shall give your punishment to you once I talk with Mahogany and Dawn."

Panther was jolted again as Cream picked her up. The cream she-cat dashed across the street, barely making it before a car zoomed down the road. The abandoned building was right there, and Panther smelled the scents she had become familiar with.

Cream squeezed through the entrance, and placed Panther in the center of the floor before going to join the other two queens on the large chair. As she heard them conversing, Panther looked around for her sisters and brother. They were underneath the chair, listening in quietly. Rust looked at her with guarded eyes, but she could read the emotion coming off of him in scent. He was sad that she had gotten in trouble, but agreed with his mother. Rust and the others had quite a fright, thinking their new sister was dead.

Cream turned to Panther, who had stayed in the same place this whole time. "We have decided. You should have a harsh punishment, because you wholeheartedly disobeyed us, and to teach you not to do it again. Dawn wanted you not to see the fight between the Elites. I think that is too harsh, as Blizzard gave you some of your punishment today." The she-cat looked pointedly at a long gash in Panther's side, which had begun to bleed again.

"We have decided that you aren't going on the next two hunting trips, one of which is now. You are to remain here, and _then_ if you leave, you are not allowed to watch the Elites. Do you understand?" Cream asked, glaring at her foster kit.

Panther nodded glumly. With that, Cream and the others gathered the kits from underneath the chair, and headed out. None of them said a word to Panther, making the kit feel even sadder about her misdoing.

They all left, and the dark brown tabby left her spot on the floor and jumped into the chair that the queens had recently occupied. She lay down with her head on her paws and sighed. "How am I ever going to be a good hunter _now_?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Yay update! Read, enjoy, and review!**

It was the second hunting trip, and Panther was still stuck in the abandoned building. At first she tried to scuttle after the half-starved mice that populated her home. But it was no use. They had grown accustomed to the presence of hungry cats, and evaded her with perfected moves.

The kit jumped onto a chair, making poofs of dust pop out with each step. She sighed as she plopped down on the chair, sending up even more dust. There was absolutely nothing to do. No mice that were easy enough to catch, no foster-siblings to play with, no mother to annoy.

Panther closed her eyes wistfully, imagining hunting. She was in an unknown place to her; there were trees and grass. The only place Panther knew of that had those was the Park, but it was different here.

There were the scents of many cats, and all smelt semi the same. The trees grew denser together as Panther followed the scent of a strange creature. It smelled like wind and running, and enticed the kit forward.

She saw the creature ahead, and marveled at how different it was. It had long ears, and a fluffy white puff of a tail. Its fur was creamy brown like that of a mouse, and its large black eyes darted around almost as quickly as its nose twitched.

Panther dropped to the ground as the cautious creature gazed her way. She inched forward a little bit, the grass feeling weird under her paws. A breeze picked up briefly, bringing the scent of the wind-animal towards her, and making her anxious for the kill.

The trees parted, and Panther knew that she was in what was called a 'clearing.' The creature nibbled the blades of grass daintily, its nose still twitching greatly. She stepped forth to the edge of the trees, and knew that she had to make a dash at the creature. If Panther tried to stalk forward, it would surely see her and scurry off.

Panther took a deep breath, readying herself for the run to come. If it was like a mouse, it would try to scurry under a tree, and then she couldn't get it. Something inside of her was telling her soul that she _had_ to get this wind-animal, and it was imperative she did.

The creature dipped its head again, and Panther sprung forward from her hiding place. It froze for a second, and then dashed off deeper into the trees. "Woah! That's _fast!"_ Panther muttered as she sprinted after the creature.

It zig-zagged wildly, and Panther followed its antics for a while before realizing it was just trying to tire her out. She added in a burst of speed, and came close enough to snap at its fluffy tail. The wind-animal then swerved, causing Panther to lose distance.

She laughed at the sport, and tried to catch up once again. It was after a few seconds, when her muscles were starting to ache, that she leapt forward and landed on the creature. Its neck snapped immediately, and with a cry similar to a dying cat, it was still.

For the few seconds that she caught her breath, Panther observed the area. It was wonderful here. The trees provided nice shady shelter from the sun, and there was undergrowth all over. A small stream babbled near her left, and there were no birds. _Strange_, she thought. _Every time I'm in the Park, there are birds…._

Panther laughed. This was great! She actually got this… this _creature_. She sniffed. The smell of wind was stronger, and Panther leaned forward for a bit near its stomach area.

"It's called rabbit," A voice mewed near her ear, startling the kit. Her eyes flew open, and Panther realized that chasing the _rabbit_ was only a dream. A short-lived dream that was only a product of her desire to go hunting.

Still, Cream and the rest haven't come back yet. Maybe… if she just close her eyes, the dream will come back to her. And she could taste the windy smelling rabbit!

"Panther! Panther look!" Take screeched. Dawn entered the building, carrying a pigeon and four mice, and looked for the kit. The rest soon followed, all screeching their pleasure.

Her hopes dipping, the only thing that made Panther laugh was when Cream cuffed Rust for crowing his prey-catching skills.

"Good," Cream mewed quietly to Panther. "You stayed in, just like I told you." Panther nodded glumly, unsure of what she wanted now. The rabbit still enticed her, but she didn't really need her dream if her family was here… right?

"We're going hunting tomorrow, all of us. But I'll teach you one-on-one while Mahogany takes Take and Keep. Does that sound good after two days of staying in the den?" Panther nodded exuberantly, making Cream smile.

"Go get ready, Panther! Clean up! Dawn says that the fighting'll start later! I wanna see it, so hurry up!" Claw bounced up and down as she mewed this quickly.

It took a minute for Panther to process the words. The fighting… they must be starting the tournament to see who gets to be leader tomorrow! As the words found their destination, Panther began a quick sweep to clean herself. It didn't make sense, but she seemed dirtier than Rust, who was out all day!

"It'll be easier if I do it," Dawn mewed quietly, grabbing Panther by her scruff. "If you need to do it quickly, you still need to do it thoroughly." She then began to rasp her tongue around Panther, making sure to do a good job.

Cream took Keep in her paws, cleaning the dirtier kit, while Mahogany took Claw. Rust and Take sat together, looking on as their mother's cleaned their 'siblings.' They were already spotless, and enjoyed not being cleaned like a kit.

After she felt she had been decently cleaned, and looked fine, Panther struggled from Dawn's grasp. The queen growled a little in her throat, but let Panther go.

The first thing she did was tackle Rust, and the two wrestled in their excitement. "Stop!" Dawn announced. "Or I'll have to clean you again!" Panther stopped, subdued. The fight was too important to miss for a cleaning!

The kit counted the seconds, each one seeming to take a lifetime. Dawn's tongue seemed to move in slow motion, and it took all of Panther's concentration not to interrupt her now.

Her breathing seemed fast, and Panther wondered why everyone else was so slow. Was it her? Black spots danced in front of her vision, and the kit swooned slightly. She felt Rust hold her shoulder and she smiled at him.

"You almost fainted…" he muttered, trying to keep the words out of Dawn's keen ears. "Are you sure you're okay to go?"

Panther nodded. Her breathing must've done this… it was her going fast. It was almost instantaneously after Rust kept her up that the queens finished.

"Come on now," Cream mewed quietly, slipping out the building with ease. Panther, Rust, and Take scrambled after her, fighting each other as they reached the exit. Mahogany followed them, laughing quietly to herself, while Dawn, Keep, and Claw kept the back.

Cream weaved expertly through the allies that Panther was beginning to know. Across the Human-Walk street, through the Dog-In-House block, and finally past the Many-Smells-Human-House. Those places always gave Panther the chills, but nothing more than the destination that they were headed for.

It was called 'Death Circle.' It was surrounded by ancient buildings, all fallen or crumbling in some way. Used to living in an abandoned building, this was nothing to Panther. However, the thing that scared her most was the center. It was a perfect circle, with maroon-colored streaks surrounding it. No human ever went there, for the place was deemed 'dangerous.' It was said that the souls of the dead BloodClan cats that have fought to the death reside there.

The only time Panther had been there was a while back, when she was still with Time. Time took her there to explain how Ghost had gotten his title as leader. The way the blood streaks ran away and faded scared Panther. There must've been so many cats that had died here, and they all were at the same place. How could their ghosts live together dead when they couldn't live together alive? Answer: They couldn't. It was rumored that if a cat went in the Death Circle alone, he would come out changed. It was said to be the only way a soul could escape the torture.

"Come on," Rust mewed quietly, for Panther had lagged behind. She put on a brave face, and walked through the buildings so like her own. Around the circle were literally hundreds of cats. To Panther's happiness, they covered the faded blood of the dead.

Inside the Circle, were two cats. One was a hefty looking light gray tabby tom, and the other was a small, petite ginger she-cat.

Cream smiled happily, and pushed her way to the front of the circle, allowing room for Dawn, Mahogany and the rest of the kits. Some gave her agitated looks, but quickly quelled them as they saw who it was.

"Good, we're just on time!" Dawn mewed, and sat with Rust and Panther in front of her. From this place, Panther could see everything that was going to happen, and felt the excitement that had left her a little bit ago.

"This is a fight to the death," a skinny black and white tom mewed solemnly to the two fighters. "The one who survives wins, and moves onto the next round. Understand? There will be no attacking of myself or the watchers, but otherwise, there are no rules."

The gray tom nodded just as solemnly as the black and white tom, but the ginger she-cat nodded with a small smile on her face. "Good. Let the Leader's Brawl begin!"

**A/N: Any ideas on who's going to win? **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: To the fighting!**

The ginger she-cat crouched down, wriggling her backside as she waited for the tom to attack. "What's the matter, _Breezy_?" she taunted, her fangs glinting in the light of the full moon. "You don't want to attack such a tiny putty tat?"

Breeze lunged forward with a feral growl, only to miss as Flame jumped nimbly away. The gray tom skidded a few feet, and Panther was close enough to touch his tail as he whipped around to face Flame once more.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" she mewed condescendingly, sitting down with her tail wrapped around her paws. Breeze snarled in anger, and leapt at the snobby she-cat once more. With a slight jump to the left, Flame dodged his attack, and ripped her long, dog-tooth claws down his side.

Breeze yowled in pain, and Panther flinched. Who would've thought that such a brave, tough warrior would sound so like a kit when hurt?

It was then that Breeze decided a different tactic. The way he was going now was to play nearly dead. Breeze limped forward with a spark of anger in his eyes, clearly faking. However, Flame was clouded by pride and only saw a dutiful BloodClan cat.

She danced in front of him, taunting Breeze with cruel, harsh words. The tom lashed out once with sheathed claws, and Flame easily dodged, laughing in his face.

She jumped on top of him, whispering more insults in his ear as she prepared her claws at the side of his throat. "Goodbye, Breeze, my friend."

Breeze closed his eyes, seemingly preparing for the inevitable. Flame smiled and tensed her shoulders, preparing to rip his throat out. Then, Breeze smiled, stopping Flame in her tracks, confused. He brought up his hind legs, and ripped downward, bringing with it Flame's bowels.

"I see you have outsmarted me," she whispered as her eyes dimmed. Steam rose from her mutilated body, and Panther shuddered in excitement. She hoped that one day she would be in that circle, fighting to the death for her Clan, except she would be more like Breeze, of course.

The black and white tom called in a pure white she-cat, who gingerly grabbed Flame's scruff and dragged her off the circle. A large trail of bright crimson was left in her wake, and Panther knew that soon it would be a dull maroon.

Breeze was excused, and thanked Checkers as he left. Checkers then ushered two new cats into the Death Circle. The two were brothers, both pure black. One was named Spade, while the other was named Curly.

Checkers read out the rules again, and the brothers faced off. Curly was the face-value winner. He was much bigger, and his long black hair would keep a lot of damage off. Spade was scrawny, with shorter ragged hair. But he had the air of a fighter in him.

Curly and Spade circled each other, searching for their brother's weakness. Panther found it impossible that the two toms had lived together for all of their lives, but yet not know each other's strengths and weaknesses.

"Come on now," Checkers mewed impatiently. "My family wants me in by sundown, and I really can't be out there afterwards." Spade gave the tom a surprised look, while Curly just laughed smugly. Then, the real battle began. It was fast and furious, with Curly seeming to have the upper hand. He often pinned Spade before the tom could wriggle out of his brother's grasp.

Spade seemed to grow tired, but the spark in his eyes grew brighter. He jumped and dodged and clawed at Curly, trying desperately to keep his life. Panther saw an elderly black she-cat cheering on Curly with all her might, and saw that the mother had clearly favored the elder brother.

Spade ducked and weaved, effectively tiring Curly out as he leapt on his back. Spade dug his claws deep into Curly's fur, using the tom's defense against him. Curly yowled and screeched, trying to dislodge Spade without much success. Curly's moves to try and get Spade off got slower and slower, and finally Curly slumped to the ground, defeated.

A roar went through the crowd of watching BloodClan cats. Nobody had expected Curly to lose! It was expected that Spade would get his throat ripped out just seconds into the battle.

Spade dislodged his claws from Curly's long fur, and crouched near his brother. "I'm so sorry," he whispered into Curly's ear, so quietly that Panther had to strain to hear it. She heard Mahogany snort next to her, and turned back just to watch Spade grab Curly's throat and pull.

The blood spattered, once more feeding the maroon streaks with fresh color. Checkers stepped into the middle once again, and called forward two more cats.

Although Checkers was the referee of sorts for the Leader Brawl, Panther and most other cats didn't have respect for him. That's because he was a housecat that was let outside occasionally, not street-cats like the warriors. Panther held him in disdain, because the tom didn't need to learn how to hunt, and had no intention of doing so. He was happy with a carefree life and a quick jaunt outside once in a while.

Panther pulled out of her thoughts to witness Carlos and Tabasco, two equally strong and tough leaders. Although she watched their fight with mild interest, Panther couldn't imagine either as the leader of BloodClan. They were both too headstrong, and would easily fight and kill others just for the fun.

In a quickly maneuver move, Tabasco cut open Carlos' face, and the tom fell to the ground, bleeding to death. Tabasco limped to the side, going to where Spade and Breeze resided, preparing for tomorrow night, when he collapsed.

Checkers ran over, and nosed Tabasco several times in different places. "He's dead!" the housecat announced, making the crowd sigh in disappointment. It was rare that both cats died in a fight, but when it happened, everyone was upset. It meant that he next round would have fewer cats in the second and every following round to fight. It was such a disappointment.

"I'm kinda bored," Rust whispered to Panther, distracting her from Checkers calling up Mila and Lead to fight.

"Me too," she whispered back, trying to pay attention to both at the same time. It was hard work, and eventually she just paid attention to Rust, ignoring the several fights that happened. "I wonder what it's gonna be like when we're older," she mewed, and Rust shrugged.

"Well, I hope not. I don't wanna fight you, or Take and them. But I think that the leader'll last a long time, if he's smart." He turned his head sharply to hear Checkers announce that Tigger won over Oreo, before paying attention to Panther again.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Panther asked indignantly, her eyes boring into Rust's. He shrugged, and asked a 'what' in return. "'He's,'" she nearly hissed. "What if it's a she-cat? I'd be a pretty good leader!"

"Well," Rust mewed, trying to fight Panther's accusation. "It was just saying something! I bet that Ebony, Nickel, or Berry'd be pretty good. They all won against toms, it was just a saying!"

Cream heard the two bickering, and motioned to Dawn. Then, the two queens picked up the kits by their scruffs. "See," Mahogany mewed," now we have to leave because you two are fighting."

Panther and Rust stopped attacking each other with their paws to stare open mouthed at Mahogany. The two tried opening their mouths to complain, but Dawn shushed them. "There's only this near-kit named James and an older tom named Clover left for today, anyway. We're not missing much."

The queens put the two kits down, and ushered their brood out of the Death Circle. The cats behind them pushed into the empty void. Going back, Take, Keep, and Claw chattered, while Rust and Panther were silent.

"So, Dawn," Claw asked, "The winners were Breeze, Spade, Ebony, Charger, Nickel, Bennie, Creek, Damien, Tigger, Berry and Jordan, right?" Dawn nodded silently, quickly pushing Claw faster. They were nearing the dog-house and they had to walk the fence. Near midnight the dog was asleep, but if they waited too long, the number of cats passing it would wake the dog. A few warriors were lost this way, and that dog loved cat.

"And tomorrow's playoffs we won't go to. It's pretty much the same thing, and you guys seemed a little bored. But near midnight is when they start the tiers. There's only one tomorrow, sorta like a precursor, but it's the best fighters, so it's worth it." As Mahogany explained that, panther listened carefully.

It excited her so much to learn about her Clans traditions, and Panther couldn't wait for tomorrow. If only it could come faster, then she could see the blood spilt to make a better Clan.

**A/N: Stay tuned until… 5 days… for the next update on one of my stories. Yay! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here's an update for you! Please read, enjoy and review. **

The air was much colder than it had been the previous days. Dampness clung to the ground and gray clouds completely covered the sky.

"I _hate_ winter," Take meowed. Her fur was puffed up twice the normal size and she huddled near Keep for warmth. Panther purred in amusement, watching the sisters as she batted a crumpled piece of paper around.

"Winter hates you, too," Rust joked. He dashed over to Claw and bowled her over in one swoop. The gray kit squealed loudly, causing Mahogany to crack an eye open.

"Kits," she warned. "Sleep now or you won't get to see the fighting tonight." The kits all stopped what they were doing and stared at Mahogany. "It's going to be an interesting one, too. Snow always makes the fights better."

"Snow?" Claw squeaked. "I gotta go to sleep! Snow!" She cavorted around the room twice before landing in a chair and curling up. The twins followed, although much less exuberantly. The three of them took over the tiny chair, leaving Panther and Rust alone.

Panther turned her back on Rust as she curled up on the dusty rug. She didn't want anything to do with him and had ignored him for the past few hours. She growled angrily as Rust joined her on the rug, but she was extremely happy he didn't touch her.

The light was dim inside the abandoned house, and it allowed Panther to close her eyes and sleep easily. Outside the first few snowflakes had begun to flutter down from the dismal skies.

When she awoke, the house was much darker than it had been before. Panther blinked her eyes slowly to help them adjust quicker.

She was the only one awake at the time. Farther away, she could hear yowls and cheers. The battling was going on, which meant that the finals would be held soon. She'd have to wake Cream and them if they were to go.

Rust snorted as she poked him but she dashed away before he really woke up. She was feeling better towards him and they really didn't need to fight over such a trivial thing. Although, he _was_ wrong for assuming just a tom could be leader of BloodClan.

Panther stopped as she appraised the chair. Claw was smushed under Take and Keep, and Take had her paw stuck inside Keep's ear. It made her laugh, but what she was going to do made her giggle even more.

She wiggled her haunches as she prepared, and then took a running leap. Panther landed on Take and was immediately catapulted off as the kit jumped up. Claw was pushed off the chair as the sisters began fighting.

"Why'd ja do that for?" Take snarled, batting Keep in the face with sheathed paws. "I was _sleeping._"

"So was I!" Keep meowed, utterly confused as to why her twin was attacking her. She leapt at Take and they tumbled onto the ground.

Dawn grumbled in the back corner, and immediately the two stopped fighting. "Can we go now?" Panther crowed, running up to the queens. "I hear the fighting! I do. It sounds good. Can we go?"

Mahogany stretched out, yawning as she did so. "I guess so," she muttered. Dawn and Cream were already up, both looking like they needed more sleep. "I thought we were waiting until the final round, though."

Rust joined Panther at the feet of the queens. "I wanna see cats fight! We can guess who will win!" The other kits cheered in agreement. The queens sighed, because it meant that the decision was made.

"Fine, fine," Cream meowed. She jumped down from her resting spot and began licking her fur. However, the kits protested stating they wanted to go _now. _

A few minutes later, the entire family was heading along the alleyways to the Death Circle. Snow clung to each of the surfaces, and momentarily erased the grime and dirt that had been so prominent on them. Only an inch or two had snowed, but the kits had trouble wading through it. This lead to two queens in front to break the path, and Dawn behind them for protection.

Steadily, the yowling grew louder. Panther wondered what the humans were thinking of it. She doubted they could see much in this darkness, but they could definitely _hear_ it. Panther pranced forward with more energy, almost bumping into Claw as she did so.

A few more strides later and they were in view of the Death Circle. Panther began to dash forward but Cream caught her deftly by the scruff.

"What are you doing, Panther?" she hissed after she put the kit down. "These cats are hardened warriors. If you bump into them wrong, you die!"

Panther cowered down, the snow reaching her belly. "Sorry, Cream," she whispered. She fell in behind Rust, who draped his tail over her shoulders sympathetically. She was grateful to have her friend back.

The Death Circle was filled with cats, although not as many as there was the previous night. It was darker without the full moon to light the fights, but the kit could still easily see. The inside of the circle was down to the ground underneath and a sickly red color. Cats around it sat in the snow that was trampled down and beaten.

With a smaller number of cats, the family easily found a place where everyone could view the battle. Currently it was the older tom, Clover, facing off against Spade. The wiry black tom seemed to have the upper hand as he darted around Clover.

"Who's dead?" Rust whispered to Panther. The she-cat scanned the circle and found two dead bodies.

"It looks like Berry, Breeze and Jordan," she answered. That meant that two fights were already through. She looked around the circle again and saw that Charger, Nickel and Creek were standing, albeit bloody.

Her attention was drawn back to the fighters with a loud yowl. Clover had been trying to trip Spade and had finally succeeded. With a battle cry he leapt upon the tom and quickly dispatched him. Small tufts of black hair floated down to the ground, and slowly moved in the streams of blood.

"Clover is the winner!" A new cat announced. He was a gray and white tabby and stocky. Two she-cats dragged the dead form of Spade off into the growing pile. However, he was so light it could have taken just one of them.

"Who's that?" Panther asked Mahogany. The she-cat didn't take her eyes of the new announcer, and addressed the kit's question without looking at her.

"That's Pig. He's Checkers' brother. Except he left his humans for a life in BloodClan. He's a very good warrior. Almost an Elite." Panther watched as Pig announced the next two fighters – Damien and Ebony – and digested this information.

The next fight didn't last very long. Ebony taunted Damien in the beginning, causing the larger tom to rush at her. As he passed Ebony stepped to the side and raked dog-tooth claws down his chest. Damien flopped to the ground and ceased breathing within minutes.

Panther was thrown off by the swiftness of this battle. Ebony had the upper paw in taunting. She enraged the tom so much that he threw out all of his common sense and just charged in angrily. It was good that he died, then. A rash leader is not a good leader for BloodClan.

Bennie, the last cat to fight, was staring at Pig expectantly. "Who am I to fight?" he asked, his fur bristling slightly. Panther sympathized with him. She'd feel extremely embarrassed if something like that happened to her.

"Who wants to fight Bennie?" Pig asked the champions. A few, like Creek, were too injured to do anything more than cough out a 'no.' Charger stepped backwards, and Panther curled her lip at him. He was a coward.

Both Clover and Ebony stepped forward to accept the next fight. Neither was injured very much, and both had the fighting fire in their eyes. "I'll take it, old-timer," Ebony drawled as she waltzed into the ring.

Clover snarled. "I'm not that old!" he yowled, making everyone look at him. "I am four years old – forty eight moons. That is not old."

"Sure, sure," Ebony stated as she took her stance against Bennie. "I'll be sure to go easy against you, though, when I fight you. Make sure ya don't break a bone."

Ebony elicited her silver tongue again in her fight with Bennie. However, the tom knew what happened to Damien and decided to take it slower. The two began to circle, Ebony still throwing taunts at him. Most included vulgar phrases and the word 'kittypet' was used quite often.

Bennie feinted to the left and Ebony fell for it. He preyed upon her unguarded side, but was met with a paw full of claws. "Nice move," Ebony snarled, "but I'm quicker."

The fight escalated from there, with both parties exchanging blows. A few, like when Bennie tore off Ebony's ear, made Panther cringe. Both cats were bleeding heavily from multiple wounds, but neither of them were giving up. To give up meant certain death.

Bennie leapt forward, intending to smother Ebony with his weight when the she-cat decided the end to the fight. She caught his jaw in her claws and quickly ripped his chin from his face. The tom's tongue flopped out of his mouth and blood poured heavily from the blow.

Ebony laughed as she examined the bone caught on her claws. "You just lost a major weapon, Bennie," she whispered before leaping at him again.

Not a truer statement could have been said. Bennie was still a force to be reckoned with with his claws, but his fangs had caused most of Ebony's damage. Within a minute Benny was on the floor dead. His body was so marred that Panther couldn't recognize it anymore.

"What an interesting fight!" Pig crowed as the cats dragged off Bennie. "We're going to take a short intermission to patch up our valiant warriors, and then there's three more fights. After that, you know it, the Leadership Brawl!"

The cats surrounding the Death Circle cheered as the medicine cats came out. A large berth was given to them as other cats followed with certain herbs. Panther didn't realize that he heart was pounding. She didn't understand why she had been bored yesterday. This was a great part of her life so far!

Not only did the Leadership Fights provide entertainment for the cats of BloodClan, they also chose a suitable leader. For a leader who could beat out his own comrades in an equal showing of wit and strength was a good leader for this band of rogue cats.

**A/N: Sorry if it's not that interesting or anything. I'm trying to fit myself into this chapter, and I just can't seem to get the mindset anymore. Merf… Review and tell me how you think I did. **


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